Now this is something I have experience in, having lived in Halls of Residence at University, shared house in London, house with mates in London and now with my girlfriend!

In my experience house sharing becomes unpleasant when issues over money and other flatmates arise.

So, there are a couple of tips I would give, specifically if you are looking at house sharing for the first time...

Top Tip:

Do your very best to meet the people you will be sharing with before moving in. Dont be shy about asking lots of questions, such as what do they do, is it a socialising house, have they got any rules or regulations you need to know about, are they happy with the house, why is the room available and try to be open with them. Tell them what you are looking for too, and ask them directly if they think the house would be right for you.

You are very unlikely to find six perfect housemates by accident, so by being honest with them and getting a feel for them as people you should start off on the right foot.

My second tip is a very obvious one, and it is all down to money. As we all know, money (or lack of it!) can cause much strife, therefore....

Top Tip:

Always work out how much it will cost and what you genuinely can afford. Find out about rent, are bills included, are bills shared, and dont be afraid of asking directly what everyone pays in terms of bills. Then sit down with pen and paper and do the maths! Running out of money will cause you stress and ultimately cause your flatemates stress too - an unhealthy situation.

Always make sure you have enough for one night of socialising with your flatmates if its required! Socialising definately helps things run smoothly

Hope this helps, and good luck, house sharing is brilliant fun!